When the wisdom teeth do not have enough room to grow properly they may come out sideways or at a wrong angle - they are impacted - because they are obstructed by the other teeth. The patient's wisdom tooth may come out at a strange angle, in the wrong place, or only come out partially. Our wisdom teeth are the last teeth to grow, they are medically known as the third molars - they are at the end of the upper and lower gums, right in the back of the mouth. Most people eventually have four wisdom teeth.
The majority of people grow wisdom teeth during their late adolescent years or very early adulthood.
As wisdom teeth develop, they typically affect other teeth, and become impacted. The patient may experience pain and the other teeth may become damaged. Even if no apparent damage occurs, the teeth can become more susceptible to disease.
If an impacted wisdom tooth causes pain or some kind of dental problem the dentist will usually extract it. Some dentists advise their patients to have their impacted wisdom teeth taken out even if there are no apparent problems.
Depending on how the teeth have grown through, impacted wisdom teeth are classed as:
Mesioangular impaction - the tooth is angled towards the front of the mouth. Approximately 44% of wisdom teeth impactions are of this type.
Vertical impaction - the tooth does not break through the gum line. About 38% of cases are of this type.
Distoangular impaction - the tooth is angled towards the back of the mouth. About 6% of cases are of this type.
Horizontal impaction - the tooth is angled sideways at a full 90 degrees, it is growing into the roots of the molar next to it. About 3% of cases are of this type.
What are the signs and symptoms of impacted wisdom teeth?
The patient feels and describes a symptom, while other people, including the physician or nurse detect a sign. For example, headache may be a symptom while dilated pupils may be a sign.
In many cases there are no symptoms. However, impacted wisdom teeth can damage other teeth and are more prone to infections. With an infection the patient can have bad breath, headache, a strange taste in the mouth, toothache, swollen gums which may be redder than usual, swollen jaw, and bleeding gums.
What are the causes of impacted wisdom teeth?
Humans' wisdom teeth come through between 17 and 25 years of age. In a significant number of cases there are too many teeth there already for the wisdom teeth (third molars) to develop properly. When they do erupt (come through) not everyone has problems; some individuals' teeth line up nicely without difficulty.
When there is not enough space for the wisdom teeth to grow normally they become trapped or impacted.
What are the treatment options for impacted wisdom teeth?
If a wisdom tooth is painful or causing problems it will be taken out. Those with medical conditions which increase the likelihood of a surgical complications will have to see an oral surgeon. Although dentists cannot accurately predict which wisdom teeth are going to cause problems, the angle at which the tooth erupts and how badly it might be pushing against other teeth may give the health care professional a good idea.
Some dentists and oral surgeons believe asymptomatic impacted wisdom teeth - those which are not causing any apparent problems - should be taken out as a preventative measure. They say the tooth is vulnerable to infection, gum disease and tooth decay. They add that it is easier to extract a wisdom tooth from younger patients than older ones.
What are the complications of impacted wisdom teeth?
The wisdom tooth may grow into a sac in the jawbone which fills with fluid, creating a cyst. This cyst can damage the jawbone, as well as the teeth and nerves nearby. Sometimes a noncancerous tumor may form, but this is rare. Tissue and bone may have to be surgically removed.
The tooth next to the wisdom tooth - the second molar - becomes more prone to infection if something is pushing against it. The pressure can lead to general crowding of the teeth and the patient may need orthodontic treatments to straighten up crooked teeth.
A partially impacted wisdom tooth is more prone to tooth decay, and the surrounding gum is more likely to become infected.
Approximately 10% of patients have problems during or after the extraction of their wisdom teeth. Most of the problems are not serious. Serious problems are more likely to occur if the patient is aged over 25 years.
Problems may include:
Reaction to medications
Swelling discoloration, pain, malaise, bruising and discomfort
Missing school or work
Bleeding
Mouth-sinus hole (oroantral communication)
Oroantral Fistula - A fistula between the maxillary sinus and the oral cavity, sometimes through the tooth socket.
Nerve damage - as the wisdom tooth is removed there is a risk of damage to the nerves in the patient's mouth.
Dry Socket (Alveolar Osteitis) - a blood clot does not form properly in the socket where the wisdom tooth was. The patient experiences a throbbing pain in the socket. In the vast majority of cases it occurs because the patient did not follow the dentist's instructions and smoked, rinsed the area to vigorously and early, sucked on it, etc.
Maxillary Tuberosity Fracture - the upper wisdom tooth is in front of the maxillary tuberosity, which can fracture when the tooth is taken out.
Lower jaw fracture (mandibular fracture) - this can occur during surgery or within four weeks after surgery.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий